Being based on the south west coast of England, we get treated to all the weird and wonderful types of weather that makes this country famous. This makes each morning different from the last and it keeps us here at The Day That on our toes, and we have to be ready for whatever the weather may throw at us.

We as The Day That photographers have many different indicators that can tell us which is the best location to head to before dawn, and what locations can give us the results we need to provide images that you would want hanging above a fire place or in a child’s bedroom, bought as a christening gift.

The perfect Christening gift for the nursery

As we go out every morning our knowledge of what the weather is doing is just as good as any news report. Conversations in the office will often be about what spots are currently working, if the tide is coming in or out, and what the wind direction is.

The Perfect Photograph

However when we get up in the morning, and the sky is dark, we still cannot be certain what location we are going to end up at.

I live in Hayle, which is about a 15 minute drive from St. Ives, a town that has many small beaches that offer different things and is a place we go to a lot. On my drive over to St.Ives I keep an eye on the sky, judge the cloud movement and get a feel for the weather, and this is when I make a decision on what location to travel to.

If the sky is clear, we head to a location that points toward the sun so we can see it appear over the horizon. Simple. However being in England, the weather does not always allow that, and we have to head off to other locations to capture something that creates a great image and will tell a story of what that morning was like.

Beaches such as Porthgwidden or the back of The Island has some great rock formations, with a long exposure and a bit of a swell, we are able to capture some great movement around the rocks.

The back of the Island, St Ives

Carbis Bay, although close by, can offer something entirely different. The beach is tucked in and almost hidden away from the shoreline. The water sweeps around the corner from St Ives and is pushed forwards, giving us perfectly shaped slow moving waves for us to capture.

Time of year also plays a huge factor, anyone who has lived in the same place for a long period of time will know just how much the Earth’s tilt affects where the sun actually rises, given which of the four seasons we are in. A clear dawn in the summer will be completely different to a clear dawn in the winter, and we have to change our approach accordingly.